Electrically powered mechanical swimming pool and spa lifts are available to assist disabled individuals in accessing swimming pools and spas and are commonly referred to as a pool chair lift. This typically includes an electronic drive system, an articulated movement, a base for fixed attachment to the surrounding pool or spa surface, and a seat for the disabled individual.
However, these pool lifts have typically been suitable for use in areas of controlled surrounding such as municipal pools, therapy and elder care facilities that may be indoor, and have staffing provided to readily perform maintenance, set-up and supervision of use. If used outdoors, prior art pool lifts may require removal and placement in protective storage in harsh weather conditions or environments; or special added temporary protection or covering steps that inhibit use of the pool lift. Moreover, these existing pool lifts contain unshielded dangerous mechanical movements that can crush, pinch or otherwise injure a user or bystander.
On Jan. 31, 2013, the United States Justice Department began enforcement of the Americans with Disabilities Act, or “ADA,” that mandates, through federal law, that all public pools and spas must eliminate barriers of use of such facilities for those with disabilities. The ADA defines means to eliminate barriers of use of public pools and spas as provision of pool lifts, sloped entry for pools, or both. Pool lifts are required to be installed and ready for use at all times the pool is open. The ADA further sets forth definitions of “public pools” that broadly encompass pools that are not limited to private.
A substantial portion of pools mandated to meet the ADA requirements are not controlled surroundings that have little or no maintenance, set-up staff, or supervision. These pools or spas may be on commercial properties such as hotels, resorts, vacation communities, clubs, condominiums, apartments, community pools, and other locations. Enforcement of the ADA results in new applicable uses unforeseen by prior art device configurations.
Consequently, these existing and known pool lifts are not suitable in non-supervised surroundings and harsh outdoor weather and environmental conditions. Therefore, these pool lifts require either removal or storage; or added physical temporary covering that must be removed before use in outdoors applications that may inhibit use. Moreover, these devices have mechanical movement that renders a fixed protective physical cover for both the electronics and the drive system impractical. Therefore, these known and existing electrically powered mechanical pool lifts present danger in use for operators as well as bystanders.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above.